It's Only Water

Friday afternoon was officially the first time I've ridden in the rain. I left the house with an occassional drizzle, saw a few more raindrops at the turnaround for the 6 mile loop and just past Essex (the turn to go to Brian's parents) it started to really rain. By the time I got home I was pretty saturated and there was water dripping off my helmet. The only thing that really bothered me was that it made my peddles slippery.

Saturday morning Brian and I jumped out of bed for the 6 mile loop and then packed the car so that the three of us could leave for Denver. The U2 concert was fantastic, although I confess, I've never climbed so high for a concert. We were 6 rows from the top of Mile High Stadium, between the 40 yard lines. Evidently, the best seats at a venue are selected based on what they usually do (football as the case may be) and aren't re-evaluted for other types of events. The staging was awesome and Erik, Brian and I enjoyed our first major outdoor arena concert together. We met up with the Carlson's for the ride to and from the show and they had lots of fun too!

Sunday we drove home and Erik and I got to see Big Mac in Ogallala for the very first time. It is pretty impressive! When we finally pulled into the driveway we got out the bikes for a ride over to Brian's parents house to get the garage door opener for the Caliber. Tonight we have band stuff, the choral music banquet and we're responsible to set up the reception for an orchestra concert. I'm hoping to ride quickly a few minutes after 4. This is Erik's last week of school for the year so hopefully things will quiet down a bit soon!

With one more week in the 30 rides in 30 days challenge I have made it on to the bike EVERY day and I've racked up 172 miles since May 1, pretty cool, for a beginner =)

Close to Home

Thursday after work I zipped over to get an oil change for the Jeep and kept my fingers crossed that I would be able to get a ride in before it started to rain. Brian got home a few minutes after I did and we decided if we were going to ride we had to do it in a hurry so we loaded up the bikes and peddled over to Lincoln Memorial. 5.4 miles later it started to rain so we hurried home for dinner. Lincoln had terrible storms last night with heavy wind and lightning and 2 inches of rainfall! I'm keeping my fingers crossed for enough dry weather to ride this afternoon.

Tomorrow morning as soon as we get off the bikes we'll leave for Denver to see the U2 concert at Mile High Stadium. I can hardly wait!!!!

Congestion

It is definitely spring in Lincoln! The trails have been congested almost every night this week. Last night we gulped down dinner and then hopped on the bikes for a quick 2 mile ride so that we could make it to LSE in time to set up the ice cream social before the concert. Our amazing band volunteers scooped 150+ servings of ice cream and everyone seemed to enjoy the evening.

We will be going to Denver to see U2 this weekend so we'll need to pack, ride, clean and with any luck be all the way ready to leave before we slip into bed tonight. To keep up with the 30 rides in 30 days we'll either ride an exercise bike at the motel on Saturday or we'll go to a local bike store in the Denver area and test ride a few things. Tomorrow I'll ride as soon as I get off work and we'll plan to ride together Sunday when we get home from the concert. In some ways May has been so busy I wish that we could have done the challenge in April. Although I definitely wouldn't have wanted to ride in spring snow!

Going the Distance

Last night we rode to church for a pizza party and bell cleaning and then back home for a total of 17.4 miles. I got off the bike with some leg cramps that are still lingering this morning. Brian assures me I'll feel better soon, and I'm having Powerade with my breakfast =) This puts me over 200 miles for the season and at 150 miles in 17 days (that's an average of 8.8 miles a day)!

Brian and I talked about training last night and how I just have to keep building up miles on the bike. We had a killer hill on the ride last night and my legs were screaming so I suspect next week he'll have me doing lots of climbing!

Quick Six

Even though I planned for 10 miles last night life got in the way and we only made it 6 miles. We had some last minute band commitments to take care of but the school year is almost done =)

I'm feeling a little like the tin man today. My right knee is a bit stiff and sore, my left shoulder has been hurting for weeks now and feels upset today and my right elbow just feels a little creaky. Hopefully a long ride tonight will stretch everything out and not make it feel worse!!!

Alright Goldilocks, Get on the Bike

I think it was Tuesday and Wednesday last week that it was hot and I was whining, Thursday afternoon my ride was sunny and windy, but I was done in just about 2 miles since it was trying very hard to rain. In the evening we went to the DelRay Ballroom to watch all three LSE Jazz Band's perform and had a great time. We ran to the car in a giant thunderstorm at the end 0f the night and it never really warmed up all weekend.

Friday I rode right at 12:30 when I got home, there was sustained 20 mph wind and the temperature was hovering in the 50's, so six miles felt like more than enough. After riding I met with the band treasurer, mowed two yards, made dinner and took care of the grocery shopping.

Saturday was Erik's adventure to Kansas City with Wind Ensemble. He left home a few minutes before 3 and the bus left Lincoln at 3:30. The kids had a GREAT time but he was completely zapped. We had planned to ride 30 miles Saturday morning but temperatures were unfriendly at best. We got on the bikes at 43 degrees with 20 mph sustained wind and 6 miles in I convinced Brian I had all that I could take. 12 miles wasn't a bad ride, but it was a long way from 30.

Sunday morning was the last Sunday for bells at church until fall, we played a jazzed up version of He's Got the Whole World in his hands at the 8 and 9:30 services and Erik sang at 11. In the afternoon the sun came out and Brian got out the road bike for it's first trip of the year. We did 6 miles at a good speed and it looks like spring will be back soon. Tonight we're planning a slightly longer ride and Tuesday we'll try for 20, riding to church to clean bells and eat pizza and then back home.

My odometer for the season is about 177 miles, with 127 of those being ridden in the last 15 days. We are officially over the halfway mark for 30 rides in 30 days =)

Stretching

Last night we rode the bride ride, in the wind. Brian had a long day at work and struggled a little getting his rythm. At one point in the ride I was a little ahead of him and stopped at a major intersection to wait. I looked back and saw a cyclist on a blue bike with black shorts and a blue shirt and figured it was my husband so I went ahead and crossed to wait for him on the other side. Turns out I was tricked =) Brian was still back on the trail having a drink and getting a bug off his sunglasses. I felt pretty silly but how many guys could be wearing the exact same outfit on one stretch of trail?

My left hamstring was tight when we got on the bike and this morning I've had a few calf cramps. It looks like another rainy day so we'll ride whenever there is a break in the clouds. Tonight is also the LSE Band Jazz performance at the Delray Ballroom so maybe I'll even get in some dancing!